Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Sunday that China will continue strengthening industrial cooperation with Zambia and helping the country improve the capacity of independent development.

During his talks with his Zambian counterpart Harry Kalaba, Wang described Zambia as an "all-weather" friend of China, noting that China is now Zambia's second largest trading partner as well as the country's main source of foreign investment.

Since the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in December 2015, investment and trade cooperation between the two countries has registered rapid growth amid a sluggish global economic recovery, said Wang.

Wang said that China is ready to focus its efforts on implementing the important consensus reached by and between the two countries' heads of state, and will help Zambia realize industrialization, agricultural modernization as well as modernization of its national governance capacity.

China will also strengthen industrial capacity cooperation with Zambia,the Chinese minister said, adding it will also continue to help transform the landlocked country into a transport hub and logistics center, and help improve its capacity of independent development.

Wang added that China and Zambia have similar positions on major international and regional issues, and that the two countries should continue to strengthen coordination and cooperation through bilateral and multilateral channels so as to safeguard the common interests of both countries and other developing nations.

Kalaba, for his part, expressed his country's gratitude for China's assistance, saying Zambia regards China as a most reliable strategic partner.

The minister also expressed satisfaction with progress in pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in recent years.

He said Zambia looks forward to working closely with China to revamp and revitalize the Tanzania-Zambia Railway, which was built with Chinese assistance in the 1970s, so as to make it play a vital role in the process of Zambia's industrialization and the regional economic integration.

He added that Zambia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and supports China's efforts in safeguarding its national sovereignty, territorial integrity and maritime rights and interests.

The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern in an in-depth way.

(Xinhua News Agency January 9, 2017)